William penberthy



(No Model.)

W. PENBERTHY. MEANS FOR ADJUSTING HANDLE BARS 0F BIOYOLES.

Patnted Mar. 30, 1897.

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I Wu. pf/VZiE/fT/X W & gg i n flbliozneq I NITE STATES ATENT FFICEQWILLIAM PENBERTHY, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMASC. JOHNS, OF SAME PLACE.

MEANS FOR ADJUSTING HANDLE-BARS OF BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,682, dated March30, 1897. Application filed May 25, 1896. Serial No. 592,973. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM PENBERTHY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State ofColorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forAdjusting the Handle-Bars of Bicycles; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in means for adjusting thehandle-bars of bicycles whereby the handles may be raised and lowered atpleasure and also turned to afford a suitable brace for the machine whenleaned against a wall or other upright support.

My improved adjusting mechanism consists of the features hereinafterdescribed and claimed, all of which will be fully understood byreference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated anembodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front View of the device. Fig. 2is a sideelevation thereof, the handle-bar being shown in three positions, two ofwhich are illustrated by-dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectiontaken through the stem of the handle-bar, fragments of which are shownextending on either side. Fig. 4 illustrates a bicycle equipped with myimprovements, the position of the front wheel and handle-bar previous toadjusting the latter being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 5 illustratesthe position of the handle-bar when adjusted to form a brace.

Similar reference-characters indicate corresponding parts in the views.

Let H designate the handle-bar, carrying a neck 0. On the lowerextremity of this neck is formed a ball O, inclosed in a two-part socketA B, connected by bolts D and E. The socket parts A B are formedintegral with the stem a connected with the post of the front fork by asuitable clamp T The part A of the socket is provided with aperturedlugs a and a The part B is provided with similar lugs b and 17 havingthreaded apertures registering with the apertures in lugs a and a Thebolts D and E pass through these apertures in the socket parts. The boltE is fastened by a nut, while the bolt D is equipped with a handle orcrank to facilitate adjustment.

The neck 0 projects through a slot or elongated opening formed in thesocket A B, half of the opening being in each part. To adjust thehandle-bars, it is only necessary to loosen the bolt D sufficiently toallow the ball 0 to move in the socket. The handle-bar may then beraised or lowered at will. This adjustment is illustrated in Fig. 1, inwhich three positions are shown, one in full lines and'two in dottedlines. As the handle-bar is adjusted the neck 0' moves in the slot oropening in the top of the socket. When properly adjusted, the bolt D istightened sufficiently to hold the ball 0 in place.

It is evident from the construction described that the mechanism allowsthe handle -bar another adjustment, namely, that illustrated in Fig. 5.In this case the axis of rotation passes through the center of the neck0 and the center of the ball 0. Hence this axis coincides with thatdiameter of the ball which when produced passes longitudinally throughthe center of the neck. In effecting this adjustment the handle-bar maybe turned to occupy anydesired angle with its normal position. In Fig. 5the handle-bar is turned at right angles to its normal position or thatillustrated in Fig. 4. When in the position shown in Fig. 5, thehandle-bar becomes an efficient brace for the machine when leanedagainst a vertical wall or similar upright suport. p The neck 0 isprovided with intersecting apertures c and 0 formed at right angles toeach other and adapted to register with a number of apertures formed ineach socket part A B. The handle-bar may be locked in any desiredposition of adjustment by passing a pin P through an aperture in eachpart and one of the apertures in the neck. WVhen the handle-bar is inthe riding position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the pin ispassed through the aperture 0 of the neck, which then registers with theapertures in the socket parts. When, however, the handle-bar is adjustedto afford a supportingbrace, (see Fig. 5,) the pin passes through theaperture 0 of the neck, which then registers with the apertures in thesocket parts.

One extremity of the pin P is provid ed with a hole through which thehasp of a padlock I may be inserted, whereby the pin may be lockedagainst removal by any one except the person holding the key thereof.This locking feature is particularly useful when the handle-bar isadjusted, as shown in Fig. 5, since the machine cannot be ridden untilthe bar is turned to its normal position or that shown in Fig. l, andthis cannot be accomplished except by the person holding the key to thelock. Hence my improved mechanism forms an efficient safeguard againsttheft.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combinationwith the handle-bar having a depending apertured neck termina e ing in aball, the twin socket parts inclosing the ball and terminating in a stemadapted to be connected with the post of the front fork, suitable boltsconnecting the socket parts, each of said parts being provided with anumber of apertures adapted to register with the aperture in the neckand a lockingpin adapted to be inserted in the aperture of the neck andsocket parts substantially as described.

2. The combination with the handle-bar having a depending apertured neckterminating in a ball, the twin socket parts inelosing the ball andterminating in a stem adapted to be connected with the post of the frontfork, suitable bolts connecting the socket parts, one of said boltsbeing provided with a crank, the socket parts being each provided with anumber of apertures adapted to register with the aperture in the neck, alockingpin adapted to pass through the registering apertures in the neckand socket parts, and a suitable lock applied to one extremity of thepin substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM PENBER'JIIY.

Witnesses:

ALFRED J. OBRIEN, ISHAM R. Howzn.

